Often we overlook areas in our home that aren’t the obvious spring cleaning must dos so here are a few that you should do and forget ye not! Happy Spring!!

Houseplants are a great natural air freshener and purifier as I mentioned. But if they aren’t dusted off and cleaned, they are harbingers of molds and dust that worsen allergies. So peel that banana, remove the stringy stuff and use the inside to dust and shine. Combine A 50/50 white vinegar or vodka (my preference) and water solution in a spray bottle to remove white mold dust and keep it from coming back.

While you’re cleaning out your cabinets for items that are expired don’t overlook those dried goods i.e. grains, rice, cereal and flour sacks which may contain mealy bugs. Often these microscopic bugs are a gift with purchase you bring home from your fave supermarket. And, while they may be high on protein they’re not what you wanna be crunching on in you bowl of cereal or rice. To get rid of them:

Wipe shelves by spraying with a 1:2 rubbing alcohol to water solution and dry thoroughly

Put all new dried goods in air –tight containers

Place a book of matches on top of sealed containers as a precaution. Apparently they aren’t smokers. The sulfur acts as a deterrent.

A Bundy Best. Tang was a favorite drink of Astronauts and kids, is a terrific dishwasher cleaner that breaks down hard water stains, gunk, soap scum and funky odors. So fill your detergent dispenser to the brim with Tang. Run through a regular hot water cycle. And, as you do get din din going by steaming up a yummy salmon dish whose recipe follows. Please note: recipe is per filet.

Place a pat of butter, splash of white wine, teaspoon of caper and salt ‘n pepper to taste

Wrap tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil

Run for one complete cycle with the TANG filled-dispenser. Please note dishwashers like ovens clean/cook differently so check for doneness!

Sip n enjoy with bubbly (non-soapy J )

Julie Edelman is a well-known multi-media lifestyle personality who shares easy; real life time, money, and energy saving tips that maintain our home, family and manicure. And, though her solutions cause Martha, Heloise and the handyman to cringe, she brings a sense of calm, humor and camaraderie to millions like her who live on what she lovingly calls Hysteria Lane. Julie appears regularly on the Today Show with Kathie Lee ‘n Hoda, Rachael Ray, Better TV and The Doctors. She is a New York Times best-selling author of The Accidental Housewife: How to Overcome Housekeeping Hysteria One Task at a Time and The Ultimate Accidental Housewife”–Your Guide to a Clean Enough House -a ‘must have’ home-keeping compendium. Julie contributes a weekly blog on RachaelRay.com; is the National Home-keeping Editor for Examiner.com: has a webisode series for Fox News Magazine and ‘spreads the glove’ on her site, www.juliestips.com .